Multi-ply strand twister



y 5, 1955 L. E. PETERSON ETAL 2,712,214

MULTI-PLY STRAND TWISTER Filed Aug. 6, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 y 1955 L. E. PETERSON ETAL 2,712,214

MULTI-PLY STRAND TWISTER Filed Aug. 6, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 4/ 4/ o 19 J 4o 42 United States PatentO MULTI-PLY STRAND TWiSTER Leroy E. Peterson and Sidney Leonard Dart, Swarthmore,

and James A. Richards, Jr., Sharon Hill, 'Pa., assignors gearJfixed' on the stationary journal of the turret. The

to American Viscose Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Application August 6, 1e53, Serial No. 3.72.714 13 Claims. (Cl. S765) Philadelphia, Pa.,

This invention relates to textile twisting machines and, more particularly, to an improved one-step cord twister.

2 The invention "comprises essentially the provision of a rotatable turret on which there are mounted a plurality of fixed spindles which are stationary with respect to theturret but which revolve about the axis of the turret. Each spindle "journals a sleeve which 'is driven at one end through an epicyclic gear train connected to a sun outboard end of each spindle is provided with a worm which drives a worm wheel mounted in a housing associated with the sleeve. A spool or 'bobbin of single ply yarn 'ismounted on each sleeve so that yarn pays out i from the-"bobbin under control of two rubber rollers It is customary to twist tire cord and, particularly,

tire cord fabricated of artificial fibers, such as viscose rayon, with a conventional ring twister. In this operation two or more singles plies are given up to 12 turns per inch of twist in the cord or doubles. With a ring twister this has not been carried out in one step. In the present device, however, it is entirely practical to impart the total or maximum twist in the cord in a single operation. The ability to do this provides increased strength in tire cords and avoids damage and breaking of the fibers in the singles strands, which has been a common disadvantage. The present invention. moreover permits the easy twisting of multi-ply cords in one step, which likewise eliminates a great deal of twisting mech; anism. It has been found that tire cord twisted in ascordance with the present invention has greater uniformity and greater strength because each individual filament supports its full proportion of the total load. It has further been found that the strength of certain yarns having particular types of finishes can be drastically improved when twisted on the present apparatus and that there is a definite but smaller increase with other yarns having different finishes. Therefore, when the present twister is employed, the ultimate. strength'of the cord is not effectively dependent upon the finish of the yarn. In other words, the strength of the cord fabricated on ourimproved apparatus is substantially constant without regard to finish, other factors being equivalent.

The primary object of the invention is to providean improved yarn twister for simultaneously cording or twisting a plurality of singles yarn into a cord of relatively hard twist.

A further object of the invention is to provide, in a textile twister, a rotatable turret, a plurality of independently mounted spindles on said turret, and means for paying out singles ply yarn strands through said spindles.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved spindle and yarn pay-out mechanism for turrettype yarn twisters.

Further objects will be apparent from the specification and drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a side view of our improved one-step twisting machine;

Figure 2. is a top view of the showing of Figure 1 with certain parts sectioned and broken away;

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 showing a slightly modified pay-out control;

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional detail of the pay-out control and spindle end of the form of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a sectional detail as seen at VV of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is an enlarged transverse section as seen at VIVI of Figure 2; and

part of the structure of Figure 6.

from retaining collars 34, 34

in the pay-out housing driven by the worm wheel. The system provides accurate high speed control of the singles plies and the turret is so constructed that merely by loosening a few bolts two, three, four or six spindles can be equidistantly spaced on the turret.

Referring now'part'icularly to the drawings, a turret assembly '10 is supported in a preferred embodiment on a base or framework 11 by means of a centerpost 12. The upper part of post 12 is provided with annular ball bearingas'semblies 13 and 14 (Figure '6), the latter of which is removable with a cap 15, thus enabling a stationary sungear 16 to be installed and keyed to the head of post 12. The turret assembly 10 comprises two circular plates 10a and- 101) which are held in spaced relation by means of a plurality of bolts and spacing bushings 17, I7. A drive pulley 18 is secured to plate 10b 'b -ea screws 19, 19. In the preferred form, we pro vide for six spindles 20, 20 which are secured to the outside of plate 10b by cap screws 21, 21. Each spindle 20' extend's'through the opposite turret plate 10a and journals an elongated sleeve'or bushing 22 to which a gear'23 is secured by means of set screw 24. An idler gear-Q25 for each spindle is 'journ'aled on shaft 26 so that-the shafts maybe adjusted inarcuate slots 30, 30 in both plates 10a and 10b. The sleeve 22 on each spindle carries a spool or bobbin 31 and also a pay-out control head32 as shown in Figure 4. The spools rest on suitable felt washers 33, 33 'whichspace the spools secured to turret plate 10a byiscrews '35, 35. At the opposite end of each spindle the pay-out control head or housing 32 is detachably retained on the sleeves 22 by means of a flanged collar 36 and set screw 37. The pay-out heads are similar to responding parts will be used.

The yarn strand '8 is threaded'from the bobbins 31, 3'! through yarn guides 38, 38 in each head, thence around a pair of rubber-covered rolls 39 and 46, the periphery of roll 40 being in line with the centerline of spindle 20 and an eyelet 41 in the housing 32. The rate of payout of strand S is controlled by the speed with which rolls 39 and 40 turn, and this is controlled by the speed of turret l0 and the various gear train ratios. A worm 42 is cut on the end of each spindle 2i) to-engageably drive a worm wheel 43 keyed to a shaft 44 journaled in housing 32 (Figures 4 and 5). A pulley 45 keyed to shaft 44 drives roll 40 through belt 46 and cooperating pulley 47 for roll 40. Since spindle 20 is rotationally stationary with respect to its own centerline, any relative turning of sleeve 22 and housing 32 with respect to the spindle causes worm wheel 43 to respond accordingly and, therefore,

each other so that the same reference numbers on corpay out strand S.

of shaft 22. In some cases it may be especially desirable to avoid any precession caused by such relationship whereas in other cases this may be of no consequence.

Figure 2 illustrates how two, three, four, or six spindles annerecan be mounted on the turret and still retain proper arcuate slots 48, 48 in the turret plates so that two opposite spindles and their associated structure can be rotated in the turret 30 to provide 90 central angles between four spindles. In this event the two spindles and structure not in use should be removed completely from the turret. Spindle assemblies 32', 32' can be disconnected entirely from the turret for this purpose by removing screws 21 and 35. The spindleassemblies are then withdrawn through slots 50, 50. The mating idler gears and their associated shafts 26 can likewise be removed from the turret by disconnecting nuts 51, 51 which hold the shafts in the turret whereupon the shaft can be pulled axially and the gear 25 as well as the retaining sleeve 52 are disconnected. It will be noted in Figure 7 that the shafts are shouldered to retain the gears 25 between the inner end of the sleeve and the shoulder. .To

4. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 having means for adjusting the spindles in the turret.

5. A yarn twister comprising a turret having two plates secured in spaced relation to each other, a centerpost on which said turret is journaled, a sun gear secured to said centerpost between the plates, a plurality of spindles fixedly mounted around the periphery of the turret and extending through one of the plates, a sleeve journaled on each of said spindles and extending between the plates, driving means connecting the sleeves and the sun gear, a pay-out head detachably secured to the outer end of each sleeve, at least one pay-out roll in said head, driving connections between said pay-out roll and the end slide the shafts in slots 30, 30, it is only necessary to loosen nuts 51 whereas if they are to be removed entirely the shaft assembly is readily disconnected, In this way the same structure is readily adaptable to handle multiply strands, and with larger turrets it is possible to twist multi-ply cords of more than six ends. h

It will be understood that the present invention is a relatively simple and much less expensive device for imparting hard twist in a single step to doubles of multiply cords. Since this can be effected without separate of the spindle, and means for guiding a yarn strand into peripheral contact with said roll.

6. Apparatus in accordance with claim 5 having six spindles.

7. Apparatus in accordance with claim 6 having means for swinging at least two spindles arcuately about the center of the turret to provide four spindles spaced 90 apart.

.8. Apparatus in accordance with claim 5 having a plurality of idler gears, each one being in mesh with the sun gear, and a planet gear on each of said sleeves in mesh with one of said idler gears.

9. Apparatus in accordance with claim 8 having means for swinging at least two spindles and their associated idler gears arcuately about the center of the turret to twisting of the singles, much less equipment is required. ,a;

Having thus described our invention, we claim: I

1. In yarn-twisting apparatus having a turret, means for rotating said turreton its axis, a plurality of spindles non-rotatably secured to said turret, a sleeve journaled on each of said spindles, driving means for said sleeves whereby the sleeves rotate about the axis of the spindles and revolve about the axis of the turret, a housing s e.- cured at the outboard terminus of each sleeve,a pair of strand pay-out rolls in said housing, and driving connections between at least one of the strand pay-out rolls and its associated spindle. v v

2. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 in which the strand pay-out rolls are rubber covered, andthe periphery of one of said rolls is in line with the centerline of the spindle.

3. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 in which the i sleeve is driven through an epicyclic gear train connected l0 to a sun gear on the journal for the turret.

provide fourspindles spaced apart.

1 I0. Apparatus in accordance with claim 5 in which the driving means between the pay-out roll and its associated spindle comprises a worm and worm wheel.

' ll. Apparatus in accordance with claim 5 in which the driving. means between the pay-out roll and its associated spindle comprises a worm on the spindle, a worm wheel journaled in the head, a shaft for the pay-out roll, andfdriving connections between the worm wheel and said she t.

12. 'Apparatus in accordance with claim 11 having a second cooperating pressure roll journaled in the head in contact with the periphery of the pay-out roll.

13. Apparatus in accordance with claim 11 having a guide in the housing in line with the centerline of an associated spindle through which a yarn strand passes after leaving the pay-out roll.

A References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 14,194 Hazard et al. Feb. 5, 1856 

